JBLM soldier who broadcast himself raping bound young girl spared life sentence

U.S. Attorney: 'Words cannot adequately express the horror'

Updated 6:24 pm, Friday, June 5, 2015

A Fort Lewis soldier who broadcast himself online as he raped a bound young girl has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Sgt. Joseph Thomas French was only found out after the girl, then 10, reported the repeated masochistic sexual assaults to another adult in 2014. French, an Afghanistan veteran originally from Florida, was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord when the allegations were made.

A a hearing Friday, U.S. District judge Ronald Leighton sentenced French, 29, to the prison term requested by prosecutors.

In a statement following the hearing, U.S. Attorney for Western Washington Annette Hayes noted French broadcast the abuse over Skype.

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“Words cannot adequately express the horror of the conduct at issue in this case,” Hayes said in a statement.

That horror is palpable in statements offered to the court by the prosecutors and investigators who went after French.

French raped the girl at least 15 times in a string of assaults spanning three years, strapping her to a bed during several of the attacks. Twice, French broadcast his rapes via Skype so other people could watch and, once, help direct the abuse.

Court records indicated one of the viewers on Skype was another Army sergeant. It’s not clear from court papers whether anyone else was prosecuted.

Investigators began their work in February 2014, when the girl’s mother went to authorities claiming her daughter had been sexually abused. French was immediately identified as the rapist.

Writing the court, a Tacoma-based FBI special agent said French ignored pleas from the girl to stop the abuse.

“No, I don’t have to stop,” French told her once, according to the FBI agent’s statement. “I can do whatever I want.”

French was confronted Feb. 11, 2014, by detectives with the Washington State Patrol. French initially denied the allegations but then broke down in tears and admitted to the rapes.

“French stated he felt shame and guilt and was not able to stop what he was doing,” the FBI agent said, recounting the soldier’s statements to detectives. “French stated that he wanted to stop and would like help.”

He was booked into Pierce County Jail later that day and placed on a suicide watch. Federal charges followed, and French ultimately pleaded guilty to production and distribution of child pornography.

French would normally have faced a life sentence, but prosecutors agreed to a less severe term because of the former soldier’s mental health issues and immediate admission of guilt.

Vaughan noted that French’s own history of physical and emotional abuse left him with depression and traumatic brain injury. French immediately admitted his crimes when he was confronted.

“There are very few crimes that are more serious than crimes that involve the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” the prosecutor said in court papers. “However Mr. French is fully remorseful for his acts, has no prior criminal history, and intends to complete sexual deviancy treatment while in prison.

“A 25-year term will keep Mr. French incarcerated until he is in his mid-50s, and is sufficient to provide just punishment and to deter others from such crimes.”

French will remain under court supervision for the rest of his life. Should he fail to meet the terms of his release, he could be returned to prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.